Envoys Hail Roosevelt’s Warning to Nazis Against Atrocities on Civilians

August 24, 1942

WASHINGTON (Aug. 23)

Envoys of the nine governments whose territories have been occupied by the German forces warmly welcomed President Roosevelt’s warning to the Axis powers that their officials would be held legally responsible for atrocities and other acts violating international law.

“The President’s statement apparently means that the United States has associated itself with the declaration made by the representatives of the nine occupied countries at a meeting at St. James’ Palace in London last January. They then pledged punishment of the guilty and began keeping a record of crimes and their perpetrators,” one of the foreign diplomats said. Other diplomats here thought it likely that the President’s statement would be followed by some similar expression from the British Government.

“We are highly gratified by the Presidents statement which will result in tremendous relief throughout the occupied nations,” a spokesman at the Polish embassy said. “It lends great force to the declaration already made by the German-held nations in London.” The spokesman recalled that Premier Stalin, in his talk with Premier Sikorski in Moscow last December 4, assured the Polish statesman that Russia would see that enemy atrocities were punished.